Arizona AG asked to start campaign-finance probe

Wes Gullett, a political strategist who owns a public affairs firm, greets supporters. (Cronkite News Service Photo by Joanne Ingram)

Arizona’s secretary of state has asked Attorney General Tom Horne to start a campaign-finance probe.

The Arizona Republic says former mayoral candidate Claude Mattox has accused Arizona Citizens United of illegally influencing the Phoenix election without disclosing the individual donors bankrolling the effort.

The group reportedly has spent more than $100,000 backing political consultant Wes Gullett for Phoenix mayor and opposing others for City Council. Mattox says that violates state campaign-finance law.

The Secretary of State’s Office reviewed Mattox’s complaint and found “reasonable cause” the group violated Arizona election law. The AG’s Office hasn’t said whether it’ll take the case.